UVA President Resigns Under Federal Pressure Amid DEI Backlash

University of Virginia President Jim Ryan resigned Friday, citing federal pressure tied to the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs — a move that underscores growing tensions between public universities and political leadership.

According to DAWN, The New York Times reported Thursday that the Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump’s administration, had pushed UVA’s board to remove Ryan in exchange for easing a probe into the university’s DEI efforts. The department allegedly threatened to withhold hundreds of millions in federal funding.

“I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job,” Ryan wrote in a message to the UVA community. Staying on, he said, would risk devastating funding cuts, threatening jobs, research grants, and financial aid for students, as well as visas for international students. “That would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered.”

Ryan, who became president in 2018, had led efforts to diversify UVA’s student body and expand access for first-generation college students. His initiatives reportedly drew criticism from some conservative alumni and lawmakers.

Virginia’s Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, denounced the Justice Department’s alleged actions, calling them “outrageous” and politically motivated.

“President Ryan has served UVA honorably and moved the university forward,” they said in a joint statement.

Trump has escalated attacks on U.S. higher education institutions, often targeting DEI programs and labeling them as discriminatory. His administration also clashed with Harvard University, seeking to block international students, revoke its tax-exempt status, and cut billions in federal contracts.

Observers warn that Ryan’s resignation may signal increased political interference in public universities, particularly those dependent on federal or state support.

“Ryan’s resignation portends a future in which all public university presidents must conform to the political views of their state’s leadership or be kicked out of office,” Inside Higher Ed wrote.

Ryan’s departure closes a turbulent chapter for UVA, which was also the site of a violent white supremacist rally in 2017 — one year before he took office.